Top 10 Young Adult Fantasy Books You Should Read

With The Hunger Games movie coming out in March, the frenzy for young adult (YA) fiction has reached an all-time high. With series like Harry Potter and Twilight, young adult fiction has gained so much attention that those outside of the typical "young adult" age group have taken notice.

For those of you who still haven't read young adult books, I have a few suggestions below to help ease you into this ever-growing genre.

Top 10 Young Adult Fantasy Books You Should Read

1) Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder -- Poison Study isn't your typical YA book. Although the main character is in her late teens, the book's mature content could easily appeal to a wide range of readers. Poison Study is free of high school drama, love triangles and the dreaded "instalove."

2) Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi -- The fantasy side of things in this novel is not so weird that non-fantasy readers would be freaked out (I don't think, anyway). Plus, there's some amazing romance I think many readers would enjoy.

3) Incarceron by Catherine Fisher -- Incarceron has such a unique storyline that I think whoever is reading it will be pulled into the book. Incarceon = Futuristic prison meets the Victorian era.

4) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins -- Actually, I think a lot of people started reading this series because it became ridiculously popular. It has become the "gateway book" to YA.

5) Divergent by Veronica Roth -- With its dystopian setting and fast-paced plot, Divergent will especially appeal to The Hunger Games fans. In fact, I loved this book more than The Hunger Games. Well, maybe...

6) The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross -- Steampunk at its finest. What's not to love about Victorian style dresses and evil automatons?

7) Wither by Lauren DeStefano -- I really loved the subject matter of this book (genetic testing that results in people who don't live past the age of 25), and I think it will appeal to non YA-types across the board.

8) Incarnate by Jodi Meadows -- This book's originality is striking: the same million souls are reborn (in different bodies) in the land of Range until the first new soul in a thousand years appears.

9) The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley -- This book is a fantasy classic. Dragons, royalty and romance mix together to create a swirling cocktail of awesomeness.

10) The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson -- The Girl of Fire and Thorns has so much going on. Issues range from low self-esteem to conquering savage enemies. It offers something for everyone.

The books I listed above are some of my absolute favorites, and hopefully one of these will help get you started in the exciting world of YA fantasy.

What YA fantasy books would you recommend to a non-YA reader?

 

Follow Lisa Parkin on Twitter: www.twitter.com/LisaMParkin

Comments

[LibrarianBarb]

04:06 PM on 02/28/2012

Stephanie Burgis who has written in the fields of middle grade and YA recently blogged about a book called 'Ordinary Magic' coming out in May. I know the author, Caitlin Rubino Bradway from a book in the Jane Austen genre that she co-authored.
This is the link to what Stephanie B wrote - ://www.stephanieburgis.com/blog/ordinary-magic.php

[MIMom]

09:35 PM on 02/21/2012

"It has become the "gateway book" to YA."

No, I think that would be Harry Potter, then Twilight. Give credit where credit is due, even if you don't like the books.

The Hero and the Crown is a great book. I bought it through my school's Scholastic book club and have held on to my copy for 20 years.

[SavvyLass]

06:21 PM on 03/08/2012

Agreed. Harry Potter books are responsible for an entirely new generation of avid YA readers, period.

[lwad]

05:46 PM on 02/21/2012

Try Ian McDonald's Planesrunner, first in what promises to be a terrific new series.

[Anne at Headfullofbooks]

02:39 PM on 02/20/2012

I have several favorite fantasy books: my new favorite is Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. I am also a huge fan of Graceling and Fire by Kristin Cashore. Let's not forget some older series like His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, and my all-time favorite fantasy series: The Chronicles of Narnia.

Dystopian novels are so popular right now. Of course, The Hunger Games is a great jumping-off book to get readers going. I also am a fan of the Maze Runner series by James Dashner; Divergent by Veronica Roth is an exciting first book of a promised trilogy; and Incarceron is a darkly disturbing first book in its series.

[TheNextVoiceofYouth]

12:11 PM on 02/20/2012

I recommend The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce. It features a young girl who disguises herself as a boy in order to train to become a knight. It has a great blend of fantasy, action-adventure, and romance. It will appeal mostly to girls, but it's good for anyone who loves fantasy.

Also, my gateway to young adult books as well as my writing dream was The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. While I do enjoy young adult fantasy from time to time, I really love contemporary young adult books that focus on teen issues. Besides Hinton, I love John Green (need to read his new book, though), Ellen Hopkins, and Stephen Chbosky.

[DaisyLit123]

02:13 AM on 02/20/2012

I recently finished "A Legacy Of The Pacific" by D H Brooks (Cedar Grove Books). This tale features two powerful teenage mermaids (one has legs; the other doesn't), their long-lost twelve year old brother, plus his pet dolphin and sea otter, all of whom inhabit a nation beneath the Pacific Ocean. Below the surface (pun intended), the novel uses these characters to expound upon the ever-growing pollution which is destroying the Earth's oceans and encourages readers to get involved in protecting them. There are also elements of world mythology, a refreshingly ethereal romance and the author's homage to various rock musicians. (I was entertained by guessing which name represented which 1980s band members). This story should appeal nicely to both boys and girls, especially comic book fans, but it is equally suitable for adult readers.

[trjones87]

04:17 PM on 02/19/2012

Graceling by Kristin Cashore was great. But the "gateway" reads that got me sucked into YA as a post-grad adult are: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (all time favorite) Anything and everything that John Green has written (especially Looking For Alaska), How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff, Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor, Delirium by Lauren Oliver, Anything and everything that Scott Westerfield has written. Those are my near and dear that I would recommend to anyone wanting to get caught up in YA fiction.

[AngryHarpy]

04:55 AM on 02/19/2012

I just finished The Hunger Games trilogy and I thought it was definitely worth the read. The first book, 'The Hunger Games' is much better than the sequels, in my opinion, but after reading the first book you really want to find out what happens next.

[Constance Lombardo]

09:43 PM on 02/18/2012

Graceling by Kristin Cashore is awesome, with a fabulously powerful female protagonist. And I love The Earthsea Trilogy by Ursula LeGuin.

[kareemachan]

01:06 PM on 02/18/2012

I would suggest that you run, not walk, and check out Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy. Unique, well-written, and good characters.

And Philip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials' trilogy.

And for a VERY interesting, intense, well-written book that is somewhere between sci-fi and fantasy, try 'Dragonhaven' by Robin McKinley. (If you're rolling your eyes at the thought of another dragon book, trust me - this is like NO dragon YA story you've ever read.

I also just read 'The Forest of Hands and Teeth' by Carrie Ryan, which was interesting. It also is part of a trilogy, and I've not read the last two books yet. I'll have to see if they hold up to the promise of the first. I had read the Maze Runner trilogy last month, and by the third book, I was like "Meh."

I also like the Young Wizards series by Diane Duane.

Okay, I'm going to make myself stop right here, as I could go on, and on, and on, and....

;-)

[eilish]

10:47 PM on 02/19/2012

Thanks so much, I think I going to love Nix. Loved Dragonhaven.

[TheNextVoiceofYouth]

12:15 PM on 02/20/2012

Oh wow, I forgot about the AbhorsenTrilogy when I commented! I love it, too. I got bored by His Dark Materials though. Anyway, young adult fantasy is an every now and then thing for me; I'm mostly a contemporary young adult reader.

[km2442]

10:11 PM on 02/17/2012

While I agree with most of this list, I have to say I thought The Girl in the Steampunk Corset was pretty bad. It was bland. The characters annoyed me. The main character is strong and fighting for herself in one scene and then feeling bad for defending herself in another. I had high expectations for it too, but I really can not recommend anyone else to read that book. It was such a waste of time and money.

[Deck91]

12:36 AM on 02/17/2012

Alma Alexander's Young Adult WORLDWEAVERS series is an exquisitely rendered world of modern computers and ancient Native American gods. The first three books were put out by HarperCollins, the fourth and fifth will soon be released.

[geddy lee is a god]

10:45 AM on 02/17/2012

Alma Alexander is a fascinating individual. She lives here in Washington state, and is quite popular in the local literary circuit. She and her husband do weekend writer's retreats, she visits schools and libraries, and I believe she's now offering an e-collection of short stories.

My favorite book is her autobiography, Houses in Africa. I love reading about her childhood growing up in Zambia and South Africa. My mother is from Cape Verde. Been to her home country several times, so I can relate to some of the adventures Ms. Alexander describes.

[hopper250]

04:49 PM on 02/16/2012

Older but "The Blue Sword" was great and for a YA audience.

[kareemachan]

12:57 PM on 02/18/2012

Yes! People should read both of them.

[orthobobsuruncle]

02:51 PM on 02/16/2012

I thought The Magicians by Lev Grossman was really good, and it was about teenagers, but I'm not sure if it counts as YA, some of the content might be considered too mature, especially by an American audience.

[Back in Town]

02:47 PM on 02/16/2012

Try the "Birthmarked Triology" by Caragh M. O'Brien. "Birthmarked", Prized", with the third still to come.

A feisty young heroine in a dystopian future. Both thoughtful and engaging. Good stuff!